Digital BW, The Print

Bjorn,

You wrote:

>What is the advantages of using Cone's piezo driver with Epson
>1160 instead of just using the Epson driver?

Since the advantages have been outlined by the others, I'll just note that I
have the Piezo driver, 1160 and 3000.  I occasionally use the Piezo driver,
but mostly just for testing.  I almost always use the Epson driver for
actual prints.

I prefer the variable-tone approach because of the flexibility of being able
to vary the tones.  My 3000 now has the VM-Sepia-Neutral in it.  While the
3000 has a reputation of having large dots with the Epson driver, at display
print size it is extremely difficult to tell the Piezo and Epson drivers
apart.  The medium format Tmax 100 film grain is the limiting factor in
quality.

As for the 1160, some do see the toner dots.  I don't in actual prints at
normal viewing distance.

The Photoshop image adjustment curves that control the inks in the
variable-tone system are not all as refined as they could be.  Also, the
partitioning curves are so radical/steep, that there can be individual
printer differences.  So, one's willingness to do some tweaking of the
control curves can be a help in some cases.

Neither Piezo nor the Epson driver give perfect gray scale ramps.  I can see
defects in all of them.  However, I think the Piezo software as well as the
better variable-tone curves give excellent results.

I prefer the Epson driver in part because it allows me to do other work
while it is printing (the Piezo driver does not -- a serious flaw to me),
and it gives slightly darker blacks.  The advantages of the Epson driver are
such that I even use it when using the Piezo-compatible MIS FS inks, which I
strongly recommend -- especially the FS-Neutral version.

So, while the Piezo driver has it's good points, I find the net advantages
of the Epson driver make it the one I use.

That said, I'm glad I have the Piezo driver.  The price for the cheapest
outfit (1160 carts -- don't buy the bulk ink) isn't too bad if you're really
into photography and printing.  It's a tool that has it's uses and is, in my
view, worth having.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com